Proverbs/Grammar ~ Grammar/Proverbs: Latin Lesson #139: Potest

The focus for today's lesson is a new use for the infinitive, combining it with the Latin word potest, "can, is able."

This Latin word is a compound of the adjective potis, "able, capable," and the verb you already know: est. So, potest is pot(is)-est, "is able, can." Just like in English, you combine the verb with an infinitive: potest dicere, "can speak, is able to speak," potest ambulare, "can walk, is able to walk," etc.

You can see the root of Latin potest in English words like "potent" and "potential." It is also the origin of the English word "power." So, potest means you have the "power" to do something.

To begin, here is a little slideshow (with cats) of the words you have seen before:

And here are today's proverbs:

1. Nemo stultus tacere potest.
No fool can keep quiet.
nemo stultus ta-CE-re potest.

The word tacere is the infinitive of tacet, a verb you know already, being used with potest.

The word nemo, "no one, nobody," is being used as an adjective here: nemo stultus, "no(body who is) foolish" = "no fool." It is the subject of the verb potest.

Compare the English saying, "It is better to keep silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubts." The Latin saying observes that exactly because someone is foolish, he cannot keep silent!

2. Fortunam nemo vitare potest.
Nobody can evade Fate.
for-TU-nam nemo vi-TA-re potest.

The word vitare is the infinitive of vitat, "avoids, evades," which is a new verb, but you have seen a compound form previously: evitat.

The word Fortunam is the accusative of Fortuna, and it is the object of the infinitive: Fortunam vitare, "to evade Fate, to avoid Fortune."

To understand this saying, you have to remember that Fortuna is sometimes good (in the sense of "fortune, fortunate"), but sometimes bad ("misfortune, unfortunate"). This saying is about the negative kind of "fortune," the "(mis)fortune" that you might want to avoid... but which you cannot escape.

3. Mortem effugere nemo potest.
Nobody can escape death.
mortem ef-FU-gere nemo potest.

The word effugere is the infinitive of effugit, a verb you know already. The word mortem is the accusative of mors, and it is the object of the infinitive: mortem effugere, "to escape death."

This saying is a variation on the previous saying, but with one of the most dreaded misfortunes: Death.

4. Avaritiam quid potest satiare?
What can satisfy avarice?
ava-RI-tiam quid potest sati-A-re?

The word satiare is the infinitive of satiat, a verb you know already. The word avaritiam is the accusative of avaritia, and it is the object of the infinitive: avaritiam satiare, "to satisfy avarice, to quench greed."
The word quid means "what?" and it is the subject of the verb potest.

This is a rhetorical question which does not expect an answer because nothing can satisfy avarice. Greed is a desire that has no limits. Compare other sayings you've seen about greed in Latin: Avarus semper eget, and Avarum irritat, non satiat pecunia.

5. Nihil non potest fortis animus.
(There is) nothing (a) strong soul cannot (do).
nihil non potest fortis A-nimus.

The adjective fortis means "strong, brave," as in English "fortitude."

This double negative in Latin, nihil non potest, has a positive result: "There is nothing that a strong soul cannot do," or in other words, "A strong soul can do everything."

Here's a recap: